Portland...so far

So far, so GREAT!! I am blown away by how God has orchestrated everything! My wonderful friend Cathleen drove up here with me and stayed till Saturday afternoon. I have been staying with a wonderful woman named tasha and her 13 year old daughter Jaqueline who I met very recently through the amazing family I lived with in San Diego. They have a cute condo in Lake Oswego...I love it, we are totally surrounded by trees!! They showed Cathleen and I around downtown where we ate dinner at Portland City Grill, a very nice restaurant located on the 30th floor of one of the tallest buildings (I think) in downtown Portland. The view was awesome! The next day we checked out the farmers market, ate at Zeppo's for breakfast, and then cathleen and I headed to Multnomah so I could show her the campus. From there we went to Multnomah falls...beautiful!! From there I took Cathleen to the airport :(. I had a mini-adventure driving back to Lake Oswego, i got just a little lost. Getting lost was great fun, I got to see more of the area and have fun trying to find my way back...which I did (partly on my own, partly with some help from some nice people I met at a coffee shop). Sunday I went to church with Tasha at Riverwest, it was awesome! The worship was amazing as well as the message (he taught on Isaih 58 & 61). Later that day Tasha and I went downtown to walk on 23rd st (a cute street with lots of cute stores, coffee shops and restaurants) and from there we went to Forest Park to go on a hike. It was so beautiful, I just loved it. Have I mentioned it is beautiful here. The only beauty missing is the beauty of all of the people I love back home (though that is safely tucked in my heart). Yesterday, though i did not originally intend on going that day, i went by the school to handle some loan stuff. From there I visited the career center where I met two awesome women who were very helpful & friendly...and I left there with a possible job opportunity (more on that in an upcoming blog). I also ran into one of the only other people I know up here (someone I met when I came up to visit), it was cool to see a familiar face. As much as I miss everyone back home, I know I am right where the Lord wants me. I have felt such a peace and joy...so far. Love you all!